Suzanne Fletcher's Blog

Bank Holiday weekend.  Not a washout after all, but disappointing in how much leisure time there was to do what I really wanted to.  The Council and Government talk about work / life balance for Councillors, but it doesn't work out.  I spent 6 hours over 2 days going through past documents and minutes preparing for the last meeting of the Task and Finish group scrutinising the Community and Voluntary Sector and its relationship with the Council.  There are complicated reasons why time ran out unexpectedly, but it did, and if a job is worth doing .......

Then there were the Council minutes to read.  3 books of them .  The sun had come out so at least I could sit in the garden to read, but I fell asleep and dreamt that someone had lost all the Task and Finish papers - almost a relief to wake up!

But of course we are not paid employees as Councillors, we are volunteers, with some payment to cover our expenses, but not everyone recognises that.

I did enjoy accompanying John as Mayor to some events though, There was the Garden Festival at Preston Park (a superb venue but badly needs better drainage and more car parking) where we bought some plants for the garden.  Then there was the Butterwick Hospice Fair followed by the Daisy Chain Open Day.  We are both glad to be able to support these very worthy charities.  As I have said before I think it is wrong that the Hospice has to cover so much of its core costs from charitable income.  On the other hand Daisy Chain is where the Hospice movement was many years ago, in pioneering and innovating an essential service in a different and better way.  As time goes on though, I would hope that the inspiration, work and ideas of Daisy Chain are taken up by other areas, and it becomes the "norm" for provision of respite care for families of children with autism, they too will qualify for more of their support to come from the statutory authorities.

There is more about these events, along with pictures on the mayor's blog after tomorrow.